Cultured Stone Grout Question

HigherLivingLLC

We recently grouted the exterior of a house (Owens Corning Cultured Stone was used) and the sub, unknowingly to me, used regular indoor tile grout on the stone. It has been about 6 months and the grout is ok, but the homeowner has withheld thousands of dollars for the job.

Would this grout cause considerable harm/void the warranty? The stone was put up properly but the grout was obviously the wrong type.

CJKarl

Was it interior grout or interior/exterior?

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tkle

I didn't know there was an interior tile grout. There is sanded and unsanded.the later used on wider joints. Unsanded will shrink and crack.
Six months, the HO probably doesn't have the money.

jmcon

did they use a latex additive in the grout? i've never used an exterior grout nor have i heard of one other than an epoxy grout. grout is a high strength mortar. who brought up the interior/exterior question? i dont think they have the money either.

stacker

what kind of subs are you hiring.im sorry but it serves you right for hiring someone that doesnt know what they are doing.people are forever hiring the cheapest one out there and it costs them in the long run.then they end up calling one of the higher bidders to fix up the f&^# up.

tile grout in cultured stone,now thats funny,i dont care who you are.

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HigherLivingLLC

Well, they had another stone mason doing their fireplace and he opened his mouth saying the grout wasnt a certain type of mortar, that it was a ceramic tile/stone grout and not meant for gaps over a certain size. these peole have already sued the former contractor, realtor, and isection co when they bought the house and were awarded about 300k. Im currently having my attorney go back and forth with theirs now. they want the stone ripped off and im not sure why, i have yet to see a copy of the inpection. the stone looks good to me

stacker

heck a paint job from earl schibe looks good,but doesnt mean it was done right.
tile grout is for tile,plain and simple.
bite the bullet and fix the job.you will be better off in the long run.as a contractor,you should have caught it before the "mason",and i use that term loosely, was thru.

tscar and some other on here talk about laying stone with thin set.im still not sold on that either.

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HigherLivingLLC

it cannot be fixed without tearing down about 20 squares of the stuff. you think it should be torn down just because its the wrong type of grout?

Tinstaafl

Contact the manufacturer. If they say it's an inappropriate application, I don't see where you have much choice. The judge isn't going to side with you under those circumstances. Ouch.

tkle

If it didn't shrink and crack there is no problem. Is it obvious. Does it look funny or bad?
How would another mason confirm the type of mortar? Is he ready to use his expertise in court? How does he feel about counter suits?

adrenaline-guy

Damn sorry to hear your troubles.

Sanded tile grout (used in interior and exterior applications) is perfectly acceptable to use as a colored mortar in cultured stone. Period. End of discussion.

How is it any different than masonry mortar, with portland cement and sand in it AS A DECORATIVE SURFACE? Not one bit.

Any cracking problems going on? If not, sounds like they are the type of toxic customers who will withhold money for EVERYTHING then settle for the difference. Since you can't legally shoot them, use the Offer In Compromise Ruling that says they pay YOUR legal expenses when they lose in court. What state are you in? I can't see on this page...that's what we have here in Texas.

beleive

My hodcarriers(laborer) has caused me headaches over the yrs. Most recent was one cleaning brick with brick cleaner, told home owners made from battery acid. Well they got one the horn call everyone asks what does battery acid do to windows,trim,soffit. Next morning get call from contractor wanting to know my insurance information?? I cleared it up showing them using detergent sureclean 600. Another one we have bucket of mud left over, I told him to find a place for it, so decided to stucco some block that would be covered, guess what the owner comes by and ask "hey what you doin", he responded said footing is moving and block are cracking so decided to patch it? That took a week and talking to clear it up. Wish people mind there own business and just do what there told.

stacker

one of the best laborers ive had was a drunk.he would come to work half tooted and try to talk to my customers when they would show up.i couldnt always control it(if he was on the other side of the job or something).but if i was there and he started talking,i would send him to the truck for something or tell him to go do this or that.you could tell him not to talk to customers,but it wouldnt do any good.i now tell my laborers not to talk to my customers about anything on the job.if the customers ask them a question,they are to say,you'll have to ask the boss.

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STONEGUYMN

Cultured Stone does not specify what type of grout needs to be used. So warranty is not an issue (the grout will not affect the stone). What type of stone is it? Are the joints deep enough to grout over?

If this guy is withholding because of the grout you might have no choice but to take it down. I've been laying Cultured Stone for 15 years and never heard of someone using tile grout. Didn't it cost him an arm and a leg for the grout?

Anyway, good luck.